Moe's welcomes SF Gypsy Jazz favorites ROYAL JELLY JIVE along with special guests for a Friday night soul dance party.

$10 Advance, $15 Day of Show
Doors 8:00 PM, Show 9:00 PM
Patio Menu by Jerk House Santa Cruz:
http://www.moesalley.com/eat_at_moes.php

https://www.royaljellyjive.com/

?San Francisco Soul? is the best term to describe Royal Jelly Jive's unique and intoxicating sound. Led by dynamic front-woman Lauren Bjelde, this sultry sextet rocks into uncharted musical territories with their infectious blend of modern and throwback sensibilities. Armed with retro horns, razor-sharp beats, and groovy songs that are near impossible to resist, RJJ can pair with your fancy cocktail at that smoky jazz club or shake up even the funkiest dance party.

And they?ll still leave you wanting more.

Born out of Funk and Happenstance at John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom Room in 2014, only steps away from the historic Fillmore Auditorium, Royal Jelly Jive has gone full-steam ahead in embracing music as their truest calling. They've produced two full-length studio albums, headlined sold-out shows across the U.S., and toured tirelessly. All with the hope to "Spread the Jelly."

From the West Coast to the U.K., RJJ continues to sweep crowds off their feet, hooking the hearts and ears of everyone that sees them. Tour highlights include sharing stages with Michael Franti and Spearhead, New Orleans legends Rebirth Brass band, as well prominent slots at festivals such as Napa Valley?s Bottlerock.

The Kingston Trio is coming to The Rio Theatre on Friday, June 15, 2018!!

Rio Theatre
1205 Soquel Ave Santa Cruz, CA 95062
(831) 429-1812
www.riotheatre.com

Tickets + Info : https://www.catalystclub.com/event/1653462-kingston-trio-santa-cruz/

All Ages
Doors 8pm / Show 9pm
Tickets: $30 / $35

Har Mar Superstar Sings Sam Cooke at The Ritz

Moe's Alley welcomes back BROWNOUT & special guests MONEY CHICHA for a night of Heavy Latin Funk, Cumbia, & Psych Rock featuring members of Grupo Fantasma.

They are touring in support of their latest release, FEAR OF A BROWN PLANET on Fat Beats Records. The album features Brownout giving the psych-funk treatment to Public Enemy classics. Come enjoy a great night of music and grab yourself a copy of the album on CD or vinyl!

$12 Advance,$15 Day of Show
Doors 8:00 PM, Show 8:30 PM
21+

https://brownoutmusic.com/
http://www.moneychicha.com/
http://grupofantasma.com/

ABOUT BROWNOUT
A 9-piece outfit formed ten years ago by members of Grammy Award-winning Latin revival orchestra Grupo Fantasma, Brownout has evolved into a musical force all its own. After garnering their third Austin Music Award last year, the band has continued to produce music that is unflinchingly progressive, while evoking the classic influences of artists such as WAR, Cymande and Funkadelic. They?ve performed at events including Bonnaroo, High Sierra Music Festival, Pickathon, FFFFest, Bear Creek Music Festival, Utopia Festival and Pachanga Fest, while regularly touring the U.S. Brownout?s also served as a highly in-demand backing band for artists including Prince, Daniel Johnston, GZA and Bernie Worrell.

The band released Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath Vol. II on October 28th via Ubiquity Records. The recording?the band?s second collection of material by godfathers of metal Black Sabbath?includes reimagined versions of ?Fairies Wear Boots,? ?Snowblind? and ?Supernaught.? The tracks ?Sabbath Bloody Sabbath? and ?Symptom of the Universe? features vocals by Ghostland Observatory?s Aaron Behrens.

Brownout has released four previous albums including Brownout presents Brown Sabbath (Ubiquity Records 2015) Homenaje (Freestyle Records 2008), Aguilas & Cobras (Six Degrees 2009) and Oozy (Nat Geo 2012) as well as the EP Over the Covers (Fat Beats 2017)

ABOUT MONEY CHICHA:
Money Chicha is an Austin, Texas based group featuring members of the Grammy-award winning Latin orchestra Grupo Fantasma and its offshoot funk outfit Brownout which performs a fuzzed-out, reverb-drenched and percussion-heavy style of music inspired by the sounds of Peru and Colombia in the 60s and 70s. This style of music, sometimes called ?chicha? music, is known for its infectious Latin beat, its psychedelic, surf guitar pyrotechnics and its melodies influenced by the indigenous culture of the Andes mountains.

The group?s sound is derived from the exhilarating syncopations of congas, cowbell and timbales, the gritty tones of combo organs and vintage synthesizers, effects-laden guitar melodies, insistent basslines and a healthy dose of trippy effects. Money Chicha is a modern translation of this South American musical style interpreted by highly skilled veterans of America?s most vibrant music town. In their capable hands, the ?chicha? genre takes on a new and unique character, guaranteed to move one to both dance and listen, entranced by the undeniable rhythms and virtuosic displays of musicality.

The Lucky Losers CD Release Party at Club Fox celebrating "Blind Spot," their new album from Kid Andersen's Greaseland! And with special guests Kid Andersen and Laura Chavez!

Brownout at The Ritz

with special guests TBA!

Austin?s Nine-piece Psychedelic Latin-Funk Masters ?Brownout' collective formed ten years ago by members of Grammy Award-winning Latin revival orchestra Grupo Fantasma. Brownout has evolved into a musical force all its own. After garnering their third Austin Music Awards, the band has continued to produce music that is unflinchingly progressive, while evoking the classic influences of artists such as WAR, Cymande and Funkadelic. They?ve performed at events including Bonnaroo, High Sierra Music Festival, Pickathon, FFFFest, Bear Creek Music Festival, Utopia Festival and Pachanga Fest, while regularly touring the U.S. Brownout?s also served as a highly in-demand backing band for artists including Prince, Daniel Johnston, GZA and Bernie Worrell.

They are touring in support of their latest release, FEAR OF A BROWN PLANET on Fat Beats Records. The album features Brownout giving the psych-funk treatment to Public Enemy classics. Come enjoy a great night of music and grab yourself a copy of the album on CD or vinyl!

We're more than excited to announce this Satori Presents, featuring renowned local band Dead Souls, a Joy Division tribute band known for their immersive, emotionally charged performances! https://www.facebook.com/deadsoulsatributetojoydivision/

Voodoo Dolly will be the second band of the evening. If you've never seen them before, this is a MUST! They're an afro-futurist tribute to Siouxsie and The Banshees...incredible musicians who put on a moving and powerful performance.
https://www.facebook.com/VoudouDolly/

We also have fantastic new Oakland band, For Joris, playing an opening set of original goth/new romantic/synthpop.
https://www.facebook.com/forjoris/

Tickets available here:
https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/mobile/index/1643859?utm_medium=bks

Come early and stay late, because resident DJ Bit will be spinning before and between bands, and will finish the night with some dark dance sets until the club closes. This is a show you won't want to miss!

21+/ $10
The Ritz SJ - 400 S.1st St

The Art Boutiki is proud to be hosting three-time Latin Grammy nominee Jovino Santos Neto for rare San Jose show. A master pianist, composer and arranger, Jovino is among the top Brazilian musicians working today.

Jovino's personal style is a creative blend of energetic grooves, lyrical melodies, and telepathic improvisation, always inspired and informed by the colorful richness of Brazilian music. His compositions include samba, choro, baião, xote, forró, marcha and many more styles, rooted in centuries-old musical tradition while pointing to new and adventurous harmonic languages.

He has throughout his career been closely affiliated with the Brazilian master Hermeto Pascoal, and was an integral part of Pascoal's group from 1977 to 1992, performing around the world and co-producing several legendary records.

Playing with Jovino's quartete will be Dillon Vado on vibraphones.

$18 in advance, $20 day of the show.
ALL AGES
beer/wine available for 21+
Cafe open during performances.

21+ EVENT
$5 PRESALES

A Magical Night of Amazing Local Talent - hip hop, rnb, funk, rock, and more

Ladies and Gentlemen! Boys and Girls! Welcome to the BAY AREA'S most POPPING night in the South Bay you don't want to miss ??

Doors open at 8:00pm!!

Come join the function with BARELY FUNKTIONAL, our first time playing the main stage at the Ritz SJ! Let's get a little funky, a little hip hop, a little rock, and more. You never know what you're going to get with this 8 piece band.

Check out our sound at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG5EFd5SPZoq94TgH-j2REw

Special guest appearances by Nu Ethnic, Levi J, Sam Ruckus, and Mike B and the Flyte Boys

BARELY FUNKTIONAL
www.barelyfunktional.com
www.soundcloud.com/barelyfunktional
www.facebook.com/barelyfunktional
@barelyfunktional

NU ETHNIC MUSIC
http://www.nuethnicmusic.com/
https://soundcloud.com/nuethnicmusic
https://www.facebook.com/NuEthnicMusic/
@nuethnicmusic

LEVI J MUSIC
https://www.levijmusic.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSModQBAobCfNd2CSnh8S5g
https://www.facebook.com/ljosewski
@levijmusic

SAM RUCKUS MUSIC & A.P.E SJ
https://samruckusmusic.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/samruckusmusic
https://www.facebook.com/SamRucKusMusic/
@samruckusmusic

MIKE B AND THE FLYTE BOYS

Bent Knee ? The Paper Earth Tour
w/ special guests Gatherers

When Art Boutiki opens on a Sunday you can assume it's going to be something special.

Join us as we welcome back Bent Knee to the Art Boutiki.

Making their Art Boutiki debut will be Byzantine Talk

Rounding it out is Gatherers

One more band TBA

$12 in advance, $15 day of the show.

-

Bent Knee is a band without frontiers. Its borderless sound combines myriad influences from across the rock, pop, minimalist, and avant-garde spectrums into a seamless, thrilling whole. Fiercely innovative, the group bridges the gap between the experimental and the familiar, merging texture and style into music that?s moving, addictive, and unapologetically original. The Boston sextet's fourth album, "Land Animal", was just released on InsideOut/Sony. http://bentkneemusic.com

?Mind boggling. The grandest and subtlest ideas are on the table.? -NPR
"Breaking new stylistic and temperamental ground." -The Boston Globe
"Equal parts ingenuity and deliciousness.? -The Wall Street Journal

Moe's Alley presents a rare performance with American Boogie Woogie Roots Legend COMMANDER CODY & HIS MODERN DAY AIRMEN as part of our Sunday Afternoon Blues series!

$15 Advance, $20 Day of Show
Doors 3:00 PM, Show 4:00 PM
Patio Menu by Jerk House Santa Cruz:
http://www.moesalley.com/eat_at_moes.php

https://commandercody.com/
Commander Cody is the classic American Boogie Woogie piano playing artist of this era. He has been at the forefront of the country rock, roots & boogie blues scene since the early 70's beginning with his top ten hit, "Hot Rod Lincoln", with the Lost Planet Airmen.

He was one of the original Americana artists before the term was even coined. In the 40 + years of his career he has remained as vital & energetic as ever. To this day he is tearing it up at major festivals & venues across the U.S. & Canada.
Look in any book on the h istory of Rock and Roll and you will find Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. The band?s name was inspired by 1950?s film serials featuring the character Kommando Kody and from a feature version of an earlier serial, King of the Rocket Men, released under the title Lost Planet Airmen. The band?s founder and leader, George Frayne, took the stage name Commander Cody. Artist, musician, and pioneering band leader Command er Cody helped invent a whole new style of music during the early 1970 ? s, a period regarded as the height of rock innovation.

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen were one of the original groups to fuse divergent strains of American roots music ? strip ped - down basic rock and roll, rhythm and blues, jazz, bop, country, western swing, and rockabilly ? and create an innovative, yet familiar and convincing sound. Along with retro - revisionist bands like the Byrds, the Eagles, and Poco, for whom the Airmen la id the groundwork, Cody and his crew played country - rock. The Airmen preferred a no - frills, back - to - basics approach and are best remembered for their biggest hit, ?Hot Rod Lincoln,? a high - octane tribute to the legends of rock music, as well as a string of now - classic albums.

Among many other achievements,this eight piece super band?s album Deep in the Heart of T exas is one of Rolling Stone M agazine?s top 100 albums of all time. The original band members recorded seven (7) albums together, generating a legion of fans worldwide until the band finally broke up and each member went his separate way in 1977.

Argentinian Reggae star DREAD MAR I returns to Santa Cruz at Moe's Alley!

$30 Advance, $35 Day of Show
Doors 8:00 PM, Show 9:00 PM
Patio Menu by Jerk House Santa Cruz:
http://www.moesalley.com/eat_at_moes.php

https://www.facebook.com/dreadmari/

Dread Mar I is a charting, best-selling Argentine reggae singer, songwriter, and bandleader. His sensual, passionate vocal delivery ranges over a style that combines deep roots reggae with the sweetness of lovers' rock. His hit single "Tu Sin Mi" has over 300 million listens on YouTube.

Dread was born Mariano Javier Castro in Quequén, Argentina in January of 1978. When he was seven years old, his family moved to Maipú, a suburb of Buenos Aires. Besides going to school, he worked in his father's bakery. His interest in music, reggae, and Rastafarianism in particular came about during these tender years, as he heard Bob Marley's music in the neighborhood. He graduated high school and worked, honing his musical chops at night.

Dread's first professional gig was as lead singer of the Reggae Messengers. After three years, Dread put together his own band and went solo. His debut album, Jah Guia, was initially issued independently, but garnered wide attention when a couple of enterprising DJs decided to play it. His gigs got larger and soon the major labels came calling. Sony/BMG signed him and reissued Jah Guia across Latin America in 2006. Sales were better than anyone expected. He was asked by renowned reggae big band Los Cafres to be a stable opener for them (and sing in their backing chorus), including a massive show at Luna Park, which greatly expanded the singer's profile. Later that year, he and his band performed at the first annual Bob Marley Day festival at Luna Park with the Wailers and Peter Tosh Band. Working with Los Cafres and headlining his own gigs had their advantages; because of the attention -- and the money -- he was able to record a second album with his own band, Los Guerreros del Rey. It was released in 2007. The following year, with the release of the album Amor-es, Dread became an in-demand attraction. He played 70-plus shows nationally and toured abroad as well. By the time he released Viví en Do in 2010, he was the most popular reggae singer in Argentina, and had established an international following that reached across most of Latin America.

His reputation also extended into the Caribbean: 2011's Tranquilo was a collaborative album with no less a talent than Jamaica's Luciano. With his new backing band, Warriors of the King, Dread took his show to Mexico and the United States. In late 2011 and early 2012, Dread worked at Panda and TAMS studios and delivered Transparente, a record that took him onto the streaming charts in the reggae, tropical, and Latin categories. It also revealed his increasing studio savvy -- he mixed it himself. Its success made his Luna Park shows all but impossible to get into: tickets sold out months in advance. He went back to the studio and issued the hit single "Nada" (backed by a Jamaican chorus) in early 2014. He followed it with the video single "No Te Asustes Ahora," which netted millions of views in its first weeks on YouTube. As a result, the 17-song full-length En el Sendero went gold.

In 2016, Dread celebrated his tenth anniversary as a recording artist with a show at the massive El Planetario in Palermo, Buenos Aires. The price of admission was donations of food, clothing, or cash for the homeless. An expansive audio-video package entitled 10 Anos -- featuring both new and catalog songs as well as a documentary -- was released and climbed the streaming and download charts. The recording also featured the studio track "Hoja en Blanco," a revisioned vallenato standard. A demo version of it appeared on the artist's Facebook page and garnered over five million views.

Paula Harris & The Beasts of Blues at Club Fox

Saved by the 90's at The Ritz

Please join us for this special FREE all-ages show! Michael Blum is a guitarist and vocalist whom jazz author Scott Yanow calls ?a guitarist who will clearly have an important future in jazz?He has an attractive sound, a melodic style, and a thoughtful approach to improvising.? In June 2015, Blum was named the ?Rising Star Guitarist? in DownBeat Magazine's 63rd Annual Critics Poll.

Blum was raised in a musical home in the suburbs of New York City. He started his musical studies on the piano and alto saxophone at age 6 before eventually moving onto guitar at age 9. His father, a classical guitarist, was his first guitar teacher. At age 19, Blum began traveling over 150 miles weekly to study with world-renowned jazz educator and Berklee School of Music professor Jim Stinnett.

In January 2017, Blum released his fifth album, The Reservoir, his debut album as a singer/songwriter. While The Reservoir is a departure from Blum?s prior jazz releases, it nonetheless evidences his roots in the jazz tradition, as well as his influences from artists such as James Taylor and Stevie Wonder.
http://www.michaelblumguitar.com

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, APRIL 13 AT 10AM!
Moe's Alley proudly presents James McMurtry & Band plus special guests. Be sure to get your tickets in advance for this one Santa Cruz!

$25 Advance, $30 Day of Show
Doors 7:00 PM, Show 8:00 PM
Patio Menu by Jerk House Santa Cruz:
http://www.moesalley.com/eat_at_moes.php

http://www.jamesmcmurtry.com/

?"The simple fact is that James McMurtry may be
the truest, fiercest songwriter of his generation..."
Stephen King | Entertainment Weekly

The famously political songwriter, James McMurtry, has been keeping a close eye on the troubled Trump administration from across the pond while touring overseas. ?A few years back, I put out a song called 'Cheney's Toy,'? McMurtry explains. ?It was often misinterpreted due to a reference to an unknown soldier. People thought I was calling the soldier 'Cheney's Toy' when I actually was referring to then-President George W. Bush. It seemed to me that Cheney was the puppeteer in that administration, while Bush was the puppet, the toy. At several shows during my current tour of the UK and Europe, people have called out for me to sing,'Bannon's Toy.'?

Fans hoping for more sociopolitical commentary from the singular songwriter got a taste with his recent single ?Remembrance.? (?It's election time, but I couldn't get my head around modern politics,? McMurtry says of the song. ?Perhaps history holds a lesson or two.?) Meanwhile, the longtime Austin resident continues riding waves of universal acclaim for his latest offering Complicated Game. ?At a stage where most veteran musicians fall into a groove or rut, McMurtry continues to surprise,? Texas Music magazine recently noted. ?[Complicated Game] is a collection of narratives as sharply observed as any from McMurtry, but with a contemplative depth that comes with maturity.?

Indeed, McMurtry's latest collection spotlights a craftsman in absolutely peak form as he turns from political toward personal (?These Things I've Come to Know,? ?You Got to Me?). ?The lyrical theme is mostly about relationships,? the longtime Austin resident says. ?It's also a little about the big old world verses the poor little farmer or fisherman.? Either way, McMurtry spins his stories with a poet's pen (?Long Island Sound?) and a painter's precision (?She Loves Me?) throughout.

Folks notice Complicated Game delivering McMurtry's trademark story songs time and again (?Copper Canteen,? ?Deaver's Crossing?). ?[McMurtry] takes listeners on a road trip of unprecedented geographic and emotional scope,? No Depression raves of the new record. ?Lyrically, the album is wise and adventurous, with McMurtry ? who's not prone to autobiographical tales ? credibly inhabiting characters from all walks of life.? ?[McMurtry] Fuses wry, literate observations about the world with the snarl of barroom rock,? National Public Radio echoes. ?The result is at times sardonic, subversive and funny, but often vulnerable and always poignant.?

Longtime fans know McMurtry's vibrant vignettes have turned heads for a quarter century now. ?James McMurtry is one of my very few favorite songwriters on Earth and these days he's working at the top of his game,? says Americana all-star Jason Isbell. ?He has that rare gift of being able to make a listener laugh out loud at one line and choke up at the next. I don't think anybody writes better lyrics.? ?Yes. Spin ?South Dakota.? You'll hear. ?They took their time with this one,? Texas Music magazine notes, ?and it was well worth it. He's always been wise beyond his age, but middle age suits him well.?

Evidence: McMurtry?s Just Us Kids (2008) and Childish Things (2005). The former earned his highest Billboard 200 chart position in nearly two decades and notched Americana Music Award nominations. Meanwhile, Childish Things scored endless critical praise and spent six full weeks topping the Americana Music Radio chart in 2005 and 2006. In 2006, Childish Things won the Americana Music Association?s Album of the Year and ?We Can?t Make It Here? was named the rapidly rising organization's Song of the Year.

Of course, Complicated Game doubles down on literate storytelling longtime enthusiasts expect. Recall high watermarks past: ?Childish Things,? ?Choctaw Bingo,? ?Peter Pan,? ?Levelland,? and ?Out Here in the Middle? only begin the list. (Yes, Robert Earl Keen covered those last two, ?Levelland? remaining a live staple.) Just Us Kids alone includes fan favorites ?Hurricane Party,? ?Ruby and Carlos? and ?You?d a Thought.? High watermarks deliver equal measures depth and breadth and pierce hearts with sharp sociopolitical commentary (?Fireline Road?).

More history: McMurtry critically lauded first album Too Long in the Wasteland (1989) was produced by John Mellencamp and marked the beginning of a series of acclaimed projects for Columbia and Sugar Hill Records. In 1996, McMurtry received a Grammy nomination for Long Form Music Video for Where'd You Hide The Body. Additionally, It Had To Happen (1997) received the American Indie Award for Best Americana Album.

In 2004, McMurtry released the universally lauded Live in Aught-Three on Compadre Records. The following year, Childish Things notched notched arguably his most critical praise, spending six weeks at No. 1 on the Americana Music Radio Chart in 2005 and 2006. In September 2006, Childish Things and "We Can't Make It Here" won the Americana Music Awards for Album and Song of the Year, respectively. McMurtry received more Americana Music Award nominations for 2008's Just Us Kids. This album marked his highest Billboard 200 chart position in more than nearly two decades.

In 2009, Live in Europe was released, capturing the McMurtry band's first European tour and extraordinary live set. Along with seasoned band members Ronnie Johnson, Daren Hess, and Tim Holt, the disc features special guests Ian McLagan (The Faces) and Jon Dee Graham (True Believers, Skunks). Also, for the first time ever, video of the James McMurtry Band's live performance is available on the included DVD.

The poignant lyrics of his immense catalog still ring true today. In 2011, "We Can't Make It Here" was cited among 'The Nation's' "Best Protest Songs Ever." "'We Can't Make It Here,'? Bob Lefsetz wrote, ?has stood the test of time because of its unmitigated truth."

McMurtry tours year round and consistently throws down unparalleled powerhouse performances. The Washington Post notes: "Much attention is paid to James McMurtry's lyrics and rightfully so: He creates a novel's worth of emotion and experience in four minutes of blisteringly stark couplets. What gets overlooked, however, is that he?s an accomplished rock guitar player...serious stuff, imparted by a singularly serious band."

Jamaica's Reggae & Dancehall star MR. VEGAS makes his long awaited return to Moe's Alley for a rare appearance in Santa Cruz.

$15 Advance, $20 Day of Show
Doors 8:00 PM, Show 9:00 PM
Patio Menu by Jerk House Santa Cruz:
http://www.moesalley.com/eat_at_moes.php

http://mrvegasmusic.com/

To have a single with an ICONIC Multi-Platinum POP artist is the dream of most Jamaican recording artists. To have two releases with two ICONIC Multi-Platinum POP artists when you are paving the road on your own merits and with your own imprint is usually un-heard of. However, Mr. Vegas is standing on the brink of record breaking milestones. Currently his collaboration "Fruit Juice" with Snoop for Snoop Lion's 'Reincarnation' album and the remix of "Standing On The Sun" with Beyonce has him poised for his own album release 'Bruk It Down 2.0'.

From "Heads High" (1998) to the newest "Party Tun Up" (2013), Mr. Vegas has assembled an unshakable string of international classic reggae and dancehall releases including Billboard hits highlighting his career progression for the last two decades. Always looking forward, Mr. Vegas is also synonymous with the success of the new social media generation amassing copious amounts of fans, friends and followers across Twitter and Facebook who appreciates his commentary away from the microphone and millions and millions of views on YouTube for his high quality electrifying videos.

Born Clifford Smith in Jamaica's capital city, Kingston. Smith developed a passion for music at an early age. It was customary for aspiring high school age singers to gather during lunch break to test new lyrics and share their talents with classmates. Smith's passion developed during these sessions when he noted female classmates would regularly attend without demonstrating any interest in lunch. Still, his first recording session was a dead end when the mix he had paid for with money that was supposed to be used for an international visa was never mixed properly and the song went nowhere. Mr. Vegas, however, was destined to go places.

Although he got his moniker around the same time for his glitzy style on the football/soccer pitch, Mr. Vegas earned it in the recording studio. His first hit, "Nike Air" (1997), recorded on the Playground Riddim for Jeremy Harding, only came about because Mr. Vegas successfully demanded that doctors removed the wiring in his jaw after a serious injury sustained not long before. Despite nursing the injured jaw, "Nike Air" raced to the top of the charts.

Mr. Vegas follow up smash hit on the Filthy Riddim, "Heads High", took the world by storm. Led by its undeniable hook over the creeping bass line, "Heads High" reached #1 on the reggae charts in five continents and #69 on the US R&B Chart. The same year, Vegas won a distinguished MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) Award in the UK. MTV put the "Heads High" video in heavy rotation and powerhouse dancehall distributor Greensleeves Records signed on for his debut album the following year. Also called Heads High, the album compiled additional hit songs including "Jacket", "Sweet Pineapple" and "Everywhere I Go", to reach #5 on the US Reggae Chart.

Vegas's sophomore Greensleeves Records release, Damn Right (2001), confirmed him as a leading reggae dancehall artist from Jamaica. Damn Right included the now timeless favourites 'Girls Time', 'She's A Ho' and the monster collaboration with Sean Paul, 'Hot Gal Today', which Vibe Magazine voted one of the best collaborations of all-time and peaked at #66 on the US R&B chart. Damn Right also reached #2 on the US Reggae chart.


Throughout the years, Mr. Vegas has proved adept at catchy hooks, knowing just the right beats that will hit at the right time coupled with signature song writing. 'Tek Wey Yuhself', 'Hot Wuk' and 'Nuh Friend From Dem', from his 2007 album Hot It Up, are a case in point. All were chart toppers in Jamaica and dominated the major American, Japanese and European charts. The soca-infused 'Tek Wey Yuhself' on Kirkledove's Dutchie Pot riddim confirmed Mr. Vegas as one of the most versatile in the business and "Hot Wuk" made it to Billboard's Hot R&B/ Hip Hop Singles chart on the strength of its wildly popular carnivalesque dancehall vibes.

Taking carnival one step further, Vegas's hit song 'Daggering' (2008) highlighted his shrewd sense of the pulse of dancehall. The cutting edge and creative, 'Daggering' release was another soca inspired single, which tore up the dancehall in Jamaica and abroad. Always ready to surprise, Vegas ended the decade by invoking, not carnival but faith and God's blessing with the smash hit, 'I Am Blessed' (2009).

In 2010 Mr. Vegas was nominated for Soul Train 'Reggae Artist of the Year' and performed at the Soulfusion Soul Train Awards in early 2011. He also performed live on the CBS
Morning Show in New York. In 2011, Mr. Vegas initiated the Save Foundation Reggae campaign with a petition appealing to radio disc jockeys to include more reggae pioneers like Alton Ellis, Gregory Issacs, and Cynthia Schloss in their daily playlists. People from as far away as Kenya, Australia, and Qatar have signed the petition.

Recording throughout 2011 & early in 2012 for his newly formed label imprint, MV Music, Mr. Vegas released his new album, Sweet Jamaica on May 29th 2012. Sweet Jamaica unites reggae and dancehall in an unprecedented double disc set. From 15 tracks of real roots reggae to 16 more of electrifying dancehall, Sweet Jamaica is a complete listening experience and was praised by Jesse Serwer (Miami New-Times, LargeUp, Okay Player) as "A great album. It's going to cement [Mr. Vegas's] place as one of Jamaica's great artists".
Presenting reggae and dancehall like it's never been done before, 'Sweet Jamaica' is undoubtedly a milestone achievement. "I want to be around in twenty years," says Vegas, "and 'Sweet Jamaica' is the best way I can think of to put my stamp on the future, one in which real foundation reggae and dancehall both play a part, just like real life".

To celebrate Jamaica's 50th Anniversary, Mr. Vegas took to the studio to produce an all star remix, The Voices of Sweet Jamaica with a cast of reggae greats including Shaggy, U-Roy, Barrington Levy, Marcia Griffiths, Mac Dada and more. Proceeds of the recording went to benefit the children of Mustard Seed Communities in Kingston Jamaica, a charitable foundation that Mr. Vegas holds very dear to his heart.

By year-end 2012, Sweet Jamaica and Mr. Vegas made great strides including a MOBO 2012 Award nomination in the UK. Sweet Jamaica was named by Google Music as 'Top 50 albums of 2012', endorsed by Complex Magazine in the 'Top 100 Albums of 2012' as well as on the 'Best of 2012' in the reggae section of iTunes.

Leading the way into 2013 with solid rotations on mainstream radio throughout the US and a remix package penetrating the dance market, it is no doubt that 'Bruk It Down' will be this Spring's crossover dancehall anthem, while Mr. Vegas' smash hit single 'Party Tun Up' is bubbling in the dances. Mr. Vegas continues to hit stages to sold-out crowds worldwide, with his signature style, taking the message of reggae and dancehall straight to the people worldwide, from New York to Paris, from California to St Maarten, Montreal to London, Spain to Italy.

The versatile and accomplished Mr. Vegas added yet another achievement to his portfolio with multiple nominations at the 32nd IRAWMA awards on May 6, 2013. On that day he copped the title Song of the Year with "Sweet Jamaica" and Video of the Year with "Bruk it Down". Thus, proving that he is undoubtedly still a force to be reckoned with turning out hits after hits of international caliber.

Indeed, Mr. Vegas has appeared on all of the industry's major shows, in Jamaica and abroad, including Guinness Sting, Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest, Reggae Sunsplash, Tobago Jazz Festival, Best of the Best in Miami, Uppsala Reggae Fest, Summerjam Germany, Rototom Sunsplash, Amsterdam Reggae Festival and more. Mr. Vegas continues to tour extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean Islands and North and South America.

The Recollective are a dynamic four-piece band that play a mixture of traditional and original material primarily from Ireland and Scotland but also from other folk traditions. They combine songs and tunes from these traditions and weave them amongst their own contemporary styles to create an enchanting vibrant sound.

With his warm emotive and sensitive vocals, the Scotsman of the band Calum Morrison sets the scene with his repertoire of traditional, borrowed and self-penned songs. On the fiddle, Karen Hickey creates a rich depth to the music of The Recollective with her powerful yet sensitive prowess on the fiddle. On the traditional Irish flute, Michael Coult brings his playful interactions and virtuosic energy to the group. Kieran Leonard, one of Ireland?s leading young percussionists, adds his own rhythmic flair to the band?s sound with his own delicate touch and grooving style.

Advance Purchase $17 Door Price $20
Members receive $2 discount on the above prices
Please note: Reservations are charged at the door price.

For more information, call 831-464-9778 or email concertdirector@celticsociety.org

More sights and sounds: https://www.celticsociety.org/